This disclosure relates to reducing sample bottle filling time of formation fluids in downhole fluid analysis.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of any kind.
Reservoir fluid analysis may be used in a wellbore in a geological formation to locate hydrocarbon-producing regions in the geological formation, as well as to manage production of the hydrocarbons in these regions. A downhole acquisition tool may carry out reservoir fluid analysis by drawing in formation fluid and testing the formation fluid downhole or collecting a sample of the formation fluid to bring to the surface. Although native reservoir fluid (e.g., oil, gas, or water) from a hydrocarbon reservoir in the geological formation may be the fluid of interest for reservoir fluid analysis, fluids other than the native reservoir fluid may contaminate the native reservoir fluid. As such, the formation fluid obtained by the downhole acquisition tool may contain extraneous materials other than pure native reservoir fluid. Drilling muds, for example, may be used in drilling operations and may invade the formation and mix with the native reservoir fluid. The formation fluid drawn from the wellbore thus may be a mixture of native reservoir fluid and drilling mud filtrate.
In downhole fluid analysis, the formation fluid may be pumped through one or more probes of the downhole acquisition tool. Over time (or as pump-out volume increases), the amount of the drilling mud filtrate in the formation fluid may decrease. Once the amount of drilling mud filtrate in the formation fluid reaches a desired level, the downhole acquisition tool may collect a sample of the formation fluid that is representative of the native formation fluid. Of certain concern is an amount of time it takes to fill a sample bottle with the formation fluid downhole after cleanup of the one or more probes of the downhole acquisition tool has been reached (e.g., after the amount of drilling mud filtrate reaches the desired level). For example, a flow rate of the formation fluid through the one or more probes may be continuously decreased once cleanup is achieved to maintain contamination levels below the desired threshold. Accordingly, the amount of time to fill the sample bottle with the formation fluid at the decreased flow rate may be undesirably long.